Almost twenty-five years ago, the most devastating terrorist attack in American history stunned the global community. The world witnessed in horror as two aircrafts collided with the World Trade Center, engulfing them in flames.
Despite the passage of time, over a thousand families of the victims have yet to receive formal identification of their loved ones’ remains. However, there is a recent breakthrough in the case of Barbara Keating, a victim of the 9/11 attack, whose remains have finally been identified after more than two decades.
Barbara Keating’s memorial took place in November 2001, but the urn placed on the altar did not contain her ashes. Instead, the ashes were from the debris of the World Trade Center where she tragically perished on September 11. For years, Barbara’s son, Paul Keating, had little hope of finding his mother’s remains amidst the wreckage.
In a surprising turn of events, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner contacted the Keating family recently, confirming through DNA analysis the positive identification of Barbara Keating’s remains.
Recalling the fateful day, Paul, now 61, remembered how both he and his mother left home early that clear Tuesday morning. She was en route to Boston Logan International Airport to catch American Airlines Flight 11 to Los Angeles. When news of the World Trade Center attack reached him, Paul looked out at the skyline and witnessed the tragedy, unaware that his mother was on one of the planes.
Although definitive identification of his mother’s remains was lacking, significant discoveries like finding her ATM card and a subsequent positive DNA match with a hairbrush provided some closure for Paul and his family.
The recent identification of Barbara Keating’s actual remains through DNA testing has brought a sense of completion for the family. The medical examiner’s office announced the identification, along with two others, thanks to advancements in DNA technology that enabled the analysis of degraded samples.
Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jason Graham emphasized their commitment to fulfilling the promise made to the families of 9/11 victims to identify and return their loved ones. Paul expressed his mother’s admiration for the relentless efforts of the medical examiners, noting that she would be impressed with their dedication.
The Keating family is now planning for Barbara’s remains, with some to be kept at the World Trade Center site and the rest laid to rest beside her husband.